Sunday, February 6, 2011

Cooped Up


I have a confession to make about the lengths I'll go to for a few good quilt photos.


I once sent a quilt cross country to be photographed by a friend with her chickens. Even more embarrassing was the confidence I had that Jessica would agree to it and embrace it as a creative challenge for herself. Yeah, I know, like I was doing her a favor!

But the absurdity didn't stop there! Jess was pregnant when she said, “Sure, send me your quilt.” Two months later, she was traipsing through her chicken yard with a brand new baby strapped to her chest, taking awesome photos for my blog! 


I made this quilt when our boys were young and had the chickenpox. We were "cooped up" for three long weeks, in a 90+ degree heatwave, without air conditioning, and no way to escape the discomforts of home. I credit the quilt with "keeping my cool" during that particularly trying time! 

The pattern is "Folk Art Chickens" from Gwen Marston's book, Folk Art Quilts.


Enjoy Jessica's brilliant photography by clicking the link below. It will take you to a YouTube montage featuring my quilt with her highly cooperative chickens.



10 comments:

  1. oh my~! i remember that pattern, in fact that whole folk art series by Gwen Marston appealed to me too and i still have the magazines in hopes to create one of my own. (now THAT'S an embarrassing confession~!)

    i love that you had Jessica shoot the quilt in her chicken environment and the results are quite fun~!!~ the video is great.

    not to mention your story about how the quilt came to be~!!~ thanks for the smiles this evening.

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  2. Oh I LOVE that quilt! And I LOVE those chickens! The pictures of both of them are so perfect! I've got to make that quilt! I don't think I've ever gone to any lengths like that to shoot a quilt photo!

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  3. I just love you Diane! This is the sweetest post. That picture of your boys is so cute. Thanks for letting me do a project with you! We don't have to tell anyone how LONG it took to get your birdies home!! Ha ha ha!

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  4. Gosh how fun. What a real treat. I love this quilt, Diane. How neat to learn how it all came into being. I love that label on the back, too. Way to go!!!

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  5. Fun, Diane! I have to admit I'm a very boring pic taker. the most I do is try to round up cats and get them to sit still on the quilt. but is that quilt photography or cat photography???

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  6. One of my all time favorite quilts - It's fun, funny and has such a great story!
    Reminds me how much I love fan quilting!!
    I have a friend in Chicago with a coop of 4 hens that are laying for her family - funny, huh?

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  7. What a fun idea, I thoroughly enjoyed your video!!! Taking the quilt exhibition to a whole new level!!! Your quilt is just wonderful I love it and so beautifully quilted too!!

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  8. That is a great story and quilt. Don't think it's strange to go to such lengths for pics at all!

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  9. I love your story. Now its an extra special quilt because it has such a great story behind it - with pictures to boot!
    textilediva.blogspot.com

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  10. Big grin! Love the photos! I was just thinking I needed to get more creative with my blog/quilt photos and here you gave me inspiration....

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